Different blogs fill different niches, and this is important and much needed. I recently received an email from a theist reader expressing concern that now that my blog has moved to FreeThought Blogs it will no longer be a place where friendly dialogue between theists and atheists can take place. In response to her concerns, I'm going to elaborate here for a moment, especially for new readers, on the niche I try to fill with my blog.Even as I have always been passionate in what I write, I have … [Read more...]

To those of you who are meeting me for the first time, greetings! And to readers who are following me here from my blogger site, well met, old friend! In this, my first post on FreeThought Blogs, I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself and my blog.I grew up in an evangelical family, was involved in the religious right, and was homeschooled. I learned from creationist textbooks and was taught to embrace courtship in place of dating. My family was influenced by the Quiverfull and Christian … [Read more...]

I've been blogging here for nine months now. I've laughed, I've cried, I've grown a lot. I've made new friends and thought and learned and become a stronger person. I've worked through a lot and analyzed just about everything. And now, I'm ready for a change. Or more specifically, a move.I have, you see, been invited to join the FreeThought Blogs network. FreeThought Blogs brings together a group of individual blogs under one umbrella, which allows readers to easily move from one to … [Read more...]

I wanted to take a moment to clarify a few things, especially as it appears that I have some new readers, at least given the explosions of comments.First, I simply do not have time or energy to respond to every comment. If you ask a question or try to make a point and I don't respond, it's because I'm a graduate student and a mother and have other responsibilities that come before blogging.Second, I get quite a few negative comments on my posts, and I simply don't have time or energy … [Read more...]

Sometimes I think about closing down my blog. Maybe I will. Sometimes I feel like turning the comments off. Maybe I should. Sometimes I think about making my blog private. Perhaps that's an option I should pursue.Blogging can be very hard, for two reasons: First, it involves regurgitating my past, and second, stating my opinions and thoughts opens me to disagreement and criticism.In some ways, I feel like this blog is the only place I can be completely open. See, many of the things I … [Read more...]

I would like to take a moment to solicit questions from my readers. Do you have any questions about how I grew up? Or maybe questions about atheism? Or is there perhaps something I've written about that hasn't quite made sense to you, that you'd like me to explain further? Here's your chance to ask away! … [Read more...]

Not to get repetitive, but I thought I'd take a moment to plug the Rethinking Vision Forum website again. Things to note:Rethinking Vision Forum has surpassed 10,000 page views. When you search for "Vision Forum" in google, Rethinking Vision Forum is now at the bottom of the first page. It is in the middle of the second page when you do the same on Yahoo or Bing. Rethinking Vision Forum now has twenty pages and forty-nine posts, with content neatly organized by means of a drop down … [Read more...]